SUMMARY OF FAITH

3. SUMMARY OF FAITH

This church adopts as a general summary of faith the “1689 Baptist Confession of Faith”.

This confession of faith gives a concise statement of biblical doctrine, but in no way is its authority equal to that of the Bible.

 

THE BIBLE

The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God and are the only authoritative rule of Christian faith and practice.

Passages for Study

Psalm 19 2 Timothy 3:15-17 Revelation 22:18-21

 

DOCTRINE OF GOD

There is only one living God. He is Glorious and Infinite, yet Gracious and Merciful. To Him, all mankind owes the highest love, reverance, and obedience.

 

THE TRINITY

There are three distinct persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

 

CREATION

God created all things perfect from nothing. Man was originally created by God after His own image in perfect righteousness.

 

PROVIDENCE

God is ceaselessly active in upholding and controlling the universe and in guiding history to its predestined end. However, He is not in any way the author or approver of sin, nor does He take away each man’s responsibility for his sins.

Passages for Study

Genesis 1 & 2 Psalms 8, 96 & 104 Isaiah 40:12-31 Ephesians 1:3-14

 

THE FALL OF MAN

Adam, through Satan's temptation, broke God's commandment and fell from his original righteousness. All Adam's descendants fell with him and as a result, have inherited a corrupt nature and are guilty before God. All transgressions of the law of God arise from this corrupt nature. Because of this fall, man is unable of himself to please God or to choose Christ as his Saviour and Lord. Passages for Study - Genesis 3   Psalm 51    Ephesians 2:1-10

 

GOD’S GRACE AND OUR SALVATION

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The Mediator

Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed Mediator between God and Man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered, and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners.

He was buried, rose again on the third day and ascended to the Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet Priest and King of the Church and Sovereign of the universe.

 

Election

Election is God’s eternal choice of a vast multitude of people to eternal life - not because of foreseen merit in them, but because of His mercy in Christ Those who have been predestined are called, justified, sanctified and glorified.

 

Regeneration and Calling

Regeneration (being born again) is the implanting of spiritual life by the Holy Spirit God calls us into fellowship with Jesus Christ by His Word and His Holy Spirit our minds being spiritually enlightened and our wills and affections being renewed.

 

Repentance

Repentance is a saving grace in which we are convicted of our sinfulness by the Holy Spirit and then we humble ourselves because of our sin, showing sorrow, hatred of sin, and a willingness to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.

 

Faith

Faith is a saving grace, by which we receive and rest upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation in response to the invitations of the Gospel. This faith will be evident by a loving obedience to the commands of Christ

 

Justification

Justification is an act of God’s free grace, by which He pardons our sins and accounts us righteous. This is not based on anything we have done, but only on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone

 

Sanctification

Those who are born-again and so united to Jesus Christ and adopted into the family of God, are set apart for God, renewed in their whole nature and become Christlike.

This renewal is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in all believers, and so enables us to pursue a life of holiness in obedience to all the commands of Christ, though never attaining to perfection in this life.

 

Perseverance

Those whom God has accepted in Christ and sanctified by His Holy Spirit will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but will persevere and be preserved to glory.

Passages for Study

Isaiah 53 John 1:1-14 Acts 16:13-15 Romans 8:28-9:33 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Philippians 2:5-10

 

 

THE CHURCH

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is composed of God’s elect in every age. According to His commandment, Christians are to gather in local churches.

To each of these churches He has given authority for administering worship, order and discipline. The officers of a church are elders and deacons.

 

BAPTISM

Baptism is an ordinance commanded by the Lord Jesus for believers only, in which they are immersed in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a sign of their union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, of remission of sins and of their giving themselves to God to walk in newness of life. It is one of the marks of Christian discipleship.

 

THE LORDS SUPPER

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ to be administered with the elements of bread and wine and to be observed by His Church until He returns. It is in no sense a sacrifice or a means of having sins cleansed. Its purpose is to commemorate Christ’s death, to strengthen the spiritual lives of Christians, and to be a bond and a renewal of our fellowship with Christ and our fellow believers.

 

EVANGELISM and MISSION

It is the duty of every church and every Christian to share in making known the Gospel to all men everywhere. As faith comes by hearing the Word of God, we are to endeavour by all methods consistent with the Word of God to persuade men to seek Jesus Christ and His salvation.

Passages for Study

Isaiah 2:1-5 Acts 14:21-28 Acts 20:17-38 Ephesians 5:24-27

 

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

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The Word of God

God has commanded us to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbours as ourselves. The Christian’s guide is laid down in the Bible, especially in the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount and the Epistles and is seen in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The Lord’s Day

The Lord's Day is to be kept holy. It is given for our benefit, which we obtain through resting from our normal occupations and by giving ourselves to the worship and service of God.

 

The State

Civil government is ordained by God and it is the duty of Christians to obey those who have rule over them, in matters consistent with the teaching of the Scriptures.

Christians are to pray for their rulers.

Passages for Study

Psalm 1 Matthew 5:13-20 Matthew 7:15-29 Romans 6:1-14 James 1:21-27 James 2:14-26

 

THE LAST THINGS

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The Return of Christ

We believe in the visible, personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ

 

The Resurrection

The bodies of men after death return to dust but all the dead, both just and unjust will be raised at the coming of Christ

 

The Judgement

God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world by Jesus Christ when everyone shall receive according to his deeds. The wicked will go into everlasting punishment in hell with the devil and his angels. The righteous, with glorified bodies, will live and reign with Christ forever.

Passages for Study

John 5:24-29 John 11:21-27 John 14:1-6 Acts6-12 Romans8:18-25 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Revelation 1:4-8 Revelation 21

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